Edward Long

Profile & Legacies Summary

1734 - 1813

Biography

Fourth son of Samuel Long (1700-1757), Edward was born in England but his family had owned property in Jamaica since the early days of colonisation. He became a barrister of Gray's Inn and accompanied his brother-in-law, Sir Henry Moore, to Jamaica, as secretary following the death of his father Samuel in 1757. He was rapidly promoted to the post of a judge in the Vice-Admiralty Court.

In 1758 Long married Mary Ballard Beckford, the daughter and sole heiress of Thomas Beckford. Mary was also the widow of John Pallmer Esq. This created a union between the powerful plantocratic Long, Beckford and Pallmer families. The couple had six children, four of whom were born in Jamaica. Of their daughters, Elizabeth married in 1801 Henry Thomas Howard Molyneux Howard, MP for Arundel, Gloucester and Steyning between 1790 and 1824; Jane Catherine married in 1791 Richard Dawkins (1768-1848), son of Henry Dawkins II (q.v.); and Charlotte Mary married also in 1791 Sir George Pocock bart.

Long's brother Robert gave him a share in Longville in Clarendon - one of the family's properties in Jamaica. Later, he also had Lucky Valley Estate conveyed to him.

In 1769 Long left Jamaica owing to poor health. The same year he requested that Lucky Valley be surveyed by James Blair and the survey was then copied by William Gardner.

Long is best known for his three volume History of Jamaica published in 1774. The History contained much information on Jamaica, its land, people and the system of sugar and slavery which underpinned it. It give details of politics, economics, farming and culture. Long's views on race are also central to an understanding of the text.

Edward died in 1813 and his estate Lucky Valley was passed on to his son Edward Beeston Long.

He has an entry in the ODNB as 'planter and commentator on Jamaican affairs.'

Sources

John Burke, A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Commoners of Great Britain and Ireland enjoying territorial possessions or high official rank, but uninvested with heritable honours (4 vols., London, Henry Colburn, 1835-1838), vol. 2 pp. 165-167, Long of Hampton Lodge.